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Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures
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Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2025 | Viewed by 11044

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mojia Huang

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Guest Editor
School of Infrastructure Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
Interests: transmission tower structures; structural optimization design; numerical simulation; bridge structures; material microstructures; new energy sources; wind power generation; theoretical analysis of mechanics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Zhiwen Lan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Infrastructure Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
Interests: transmission tower structures; bridge structures; new energy sources; wind power generation; theoretical analysis of mechanics; experimental measurements
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lei Zhang

E-Mail
Guest Editor
School of Architecture Engineering and Planning, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang 332005,China
Interests: transmission tower structures; high rise structures; slope engineering; underground structures; wind power generation structures
Dr. Tengfei Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of City Construction, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Interests: insulation materials; transmission tower structures; theoretical analysis of mechanics; experimental measurements
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Green and environmentally friendly building materials and new structural designs play a significant role in the field of sustainable architecture. Their development can reduce environmental impacts, improve energy efficiency, and enhance indoor environmental quality, making them key components in achieving sustainable development goals and crucial for the sustainable development of the construction industry and society. This Special Issue highlights the forefront of environmentally friendly building materials and new structural designs, with a focus on exploring the development of sustainable architecture. It aims to reduce environmental impacts, promote energy efficiency, and explore alternative solutions to traditional materials and structural forms, such as green and environmentally friendly building materials, new structural forms, and improvements in their mechanical properties. These green and environmentally friendly materials and structural forms have promising prospects and can accelerate the transformation and upgrading of the construction industry. This Special Issue encourages researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers to adopt sustainable practices and promote positive change. By sharing groundbreaking research findings and facilitating collaboration, it contributes to creating a greener and more sustainable built environment.

Prof. Dr. Mojia Huang
Prof. Dr. Zhiwen Lan
Dr. Lei Zhang
Dr. Tengfei Zhao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • structural optimization design FE numerical simulation of structures
  • new green building materials
  • green building design and application
  • innovation and application in bridge structures
  • mechanical issues in engineering structures
  • structural issues in power systems

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 24664 KiB  
Article
A Study on the Thermal Conductivity of Graphite Composite Insulation Material for Building Insulation
by Ruhua Wang, Qianbin Yuan, Ze Zhang, Fei Zhang, Kecheng Zhao, Jian Xu and Tengfei Zhao
Buildings 2025, 15(5), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15050752 - 25 Feb 2025
Viewed by 518
Abstract
Global climate change has placed a heavy burden on the environment, with building energy consumption gradually emerging as a major environmental stressor. Therefore, energy conservation and emission reduction in buildings have increasingly become key issues of great concern. In regions with hot summers [...] Read more.
Global climate change has placed a heavy burden on the environment, with building energy consumption gradually emerging as a major environmental stressor. Therefore, energy conservation and emission reduction in buildings have increasingly become key issues of great concern. In regions with hot summers and cold winters, building envelope structures often use insulation materials to facilitate energy efficiency in buildings. Graphite composite insulation material (GCIM), a high-performance building insulation composite material, is composed primarily of graphite polystyrene particles (GPPs), glass microspheres (GMs), cement, and silica fume (SF). The thermal conductivity (TC) is an important parameter that affects its insulation performance. The volume ratios (VRs) of the material components will have a significant impact on its TC. However, there is currently a relative lack of theoretical research on the influencing factors of its TC, and its TC mechanism is not very clear. Therefore, a novel series-parallel alternate heat conduction theoretical model (SPAM) was established in this paper. The theoretical calculation expression for the TC of GCIM was derived using Fourier’s law of heat conduction. Through numerical simulation, three models comprising a total of 60 finite element (FE) models were constructed. The results of the numerical simulation were compared with theoretical calculations to further determine the influence of material component VRs on the TC of GCIM. The research results indicate that in the three established conventional models, the TC of GCIM decreases rapidly in the early stages and then stabilizes later, with a critical point at Ψ1Ψ2=Ψ1Ψ4=5. Within the specified range of VR variations, the value of Ψ1Ψ2 has the greatest impact on the TC performance of GCIM, followed by Ψ1Ψ4, while Ψ1Ψ3 has the smallest impact. The research findings will guide the material composition of the GCIM, reduce their TC, enhance their insulation performance, decrease building energy consumption, and hold high theoretical and practical value. This research will provide a theoretical reference basis for the widespread application of the GCIM in the field of building insulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures)
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20 pages, 6224 KiB  
Article
Automatic Calculation Method for Effective Length Factor of Bridge Piers Considering Shear Deformation
by Shuiping Fang, Chongjun Liu and Chun Zhang
Buildings 2025, 15(1), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15010046 - 26 Dec 2024
Viewed by 733
Abstract
The effective length factor (ELF) of bridge piers, a critical design parameter, is determined by solving the transcendental equation governing stability. Efficient and accurate solutions to these equations under various constraints are essential for automating bridge design software. In this paper, the bridge [...] Read more.
The effective length factor (ELF) of bridge piers, a critical design parameter, is determined by solving the transcendental equation governing stability. Efficient and accurate solutions to these equations under various constraints are essential for automating bridge design software. In this paper, the bridge pier is simplified as an elastically restrained column based on the Timoshenko beam model, and the pier stability equation under general elastic constraints considering shear deformation is derived. By analyzing the distribution patterns of the solutions to the transcendental equations with and without considering shear deformation, a novel two-stage Adaptive Sequential Root Search Method based on bisection algorithm (ASRSBM2s) is proposed to calculate the ELF. In the first stage, the smallest positive root of the transcendental equation without considering shear deformation is first calculated, and the obtained positive root is used to restrict the solution domain of the transcendental equation considering shear deformation in the second stage. Compared with the results of the finite element method (FEM), the proposed algorithm can accurately determine the correct roots of the transcendental equation for various bridge scenarios, and the maximum relative error of the calculated ELF of bridge piers is below 2.5%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures)
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20 pages, 4587 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Clay Characteristics for Printable Geo-Materials: A Case Study of Clay–Sand Mixes
by Stefanie Rückrich, Galit Agranati and Yasha J. Grobman
Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1576; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061576 - 29 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1514
Abstract
Extrusion-based 3D Construction Printing (3DCP) involves developing novel material mixtures that incorporate local geo-materials. Given that clay minerals and silt are major causes of soil variability, this study focuses on the fine fraction of soil to facilitate purpose-oriented design, classification, and standardization. We [...] Read more.
Extrusion-based 3D Construction Printing (3DCP) involves developing novel material mixtures that incorporate local geo-materials. Given that clay minerals and silt are major causes of soil variability, this study focuses on the fine fraction of soil to facilitate purpose-oriented design, classification, and standardization. We begin with an overview of current research in the field and general information about clays. Subsequently, we establish an evaluation methodology, examining various clay–sand mix ratios, along with locally sourced material to gain general insights into the material’s clay-dependent macro-printability characteristics. The findings are then correlated and discussed in relation to the microcharacteristics of the clays, emphasizing the significance of both intraparticle and interparticle swelling for strength and cohesiveness. Factors such as swelling ability, and charge, which may be reflected by pH, are pivotal for strength; while the quantity of clay and its interparticle swelling ability, denoted by the plasticity index (PI), delineate cohesiveness, which is essential for pumpability and extrudability. Furthermore, the presence of organic material and other minerals is observed to have a significant impact on these properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures)
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18 pages, 4128 KiB  
Article
The Use of Sargasso Seaweed as Lignocellulosic Material for Particleboards: Technical Viability and Life Cycle Assessment
by Afonso José Felício Peres Duran, Gabriela Pitolli Lyra, Luiz Eduardo Campos Filho, Cristiane Bueno, João Adriano Rossignolo, Cicero Alves-Lima and Juliano Fiorelli
Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1403; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051403 - 14 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1774
Abstract
There have been beaching events of the marine alga pelagic sargassum in coastal regions of the Caribbean Sea, West African countries, and the north-northeast region of Brazil since 2011. Its presence has caused environmental and socioeconomic impacts while several studies were conducted in [...] Read more.
There have been beaching events of the marine alga pelagic sargassum in coastal regions of the Caribbean Sea, West African countries, and the north-northeast region of Brazil since 2011. Its presence has caused environmental and socioeconomic impacts while several studies were conducted in order to understand the causes of this phenomenon, as well as alternatives to mitigate its impacts. The objective of this research was to evaluate pelagic sargassum biomass from beaching as a raw material for the manufacture of medium-density multilayer particleboards, aiming for an application that can reduce the impacts generated by the disposal of this seaweed on beaches and landfills. These are composed of 30% sargassum particles in their inner layer and 70% sugarcane bagasse particles on their outer layers, which are bonded with castor-oil-based polyurethane resin. A physical and chemical characterization was carried out in order to evaluate sargassum particles while physical and mechanical tests were carried out in order to evaluate the panels. Results were subsequently compared with indications from different particleboard standards. A life cycle assessment was carried out to complement the feasibility study of these panels and to compare their different manufacturing processes. The multilayer panels met the minimum requirements for physical and mechanical properties established by regulations, indicating that the Sargassum spp. biomass can be used as filling. The life cycle assessment study indicates that sargassum panels produced in the Belém, PA, Brazil, region present lower environmental impacts in four of seven evaluated categories when compared to conventional panels. Given the results obtained, the use of sargassum from beaching events as raw material for panels can be presented as an alternative for reducing social, economic, and environmental impacts in the regions affected by these events. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures)
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18 pages, 7594 KiB  
Article
Experimental and Finite Element Analyses of Adjustable Foundation Bolts in Transmission Towers
by Huajie Yin, Xianzhi Xiao, Zhi Huang, Tengfei Zhao and Mojia Huang
Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1357; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051357 - 10 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1162
Abstract
Uneven settlement of transmission tower foundations can result in catastrophic events, such as tower collapse and line failures, disrupting power transmission operations. To address the challenging repairs caused by uneven foundation settlement of transmission towers, we propose an adjustable foundation bolt (AFB). This [...] Read more.
Uneven settlement of transmission tower foundations can result in catastrophic events, such as tower collapse and line failures, disrupting power transmission operations. To address the challenging repairs caused by uneven foundation settlement of transmission towers, we propose an adjustable foundation bolt (AFB). This paper provides a detailed theoretical analysis of the AFB’s stability and load-bearing capacity, including critical buckling force formulas and maximum normal stress expressions. Finite element simulations confirm the precision of our theoretical formulations. Additionally, we introduce a method using baffles to enhance its load-bearing capacity, analyzing the impact of different numbers of baffles through numerical simulations. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of baffles in enhancing structural load-bearing capacity. The device brings convenience and efficiency to the maintenance of transmission towers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures)
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14 pages, 16381 KiB  
Article
The Utilization of Crushed Corn Cob as a Sand Substitute in Portland Cement Mortars for Sustainable Construction
by Ana Torre, Sorin Ramirez, Isabel Moromi, Ladislao Basurto and Carmen Reyes
Buildings 2024, 14(3), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030594 - 23 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4612
Abstract
The utilization of mineralized sandy shredded corn cob (SCC) as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in Portland cement mortars (PM) presents an innovative opportunity for sustainable construction and organic waste reutilization. This study aims to assess the impact of SCC, with granulometric [...] Read more.
The utilization of mineralized sandy shredded corn cob (SCC) as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in Portland cement mortars (PM) presents an innovative opportunity for sustainable construction and organic waste reutilization. This study aims to assess the impact of SCC, with granulometric variations G1 and G2, on eight mortar formulations (PM, SCC-G1-5%, SCC-G1-10%; SCC-G2-5%, SCC-G2-10%, SCC-G2-15%, SCC-G2-20%, and SCC-G2-30%) with a consistent water-to-cement ratio of 0.55. Fresh-state properties (flowability, temperature, pH, unit weight, and setting time) and hardened-state characteristics (compressive strength at 4, 7, 14, and 28 days) were evaluated. Notably, flowability decreased by 90% for G2 designs with up to 15% SCC, unit weight decreased by up to 12% with SCC-G2-30%, setting time was delayed, and compressive strength for all SCC mortars up to 20% exceeded 21.9 MPa. In conclusion, the partial replacement of sand with a G2 particle-size distribution of SCC is feasible, with an optimal performance observed in SCC-G2-5%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures)
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